problem with hygro difformis - pin holes

[Bigzmey]

My hygro difformis grows like crazy. I have to cut the tops and replant every month or so.

The problem is that lower leaves develop pin holes and deteriorate as fast as plants grow. So most of the time the plants don't look that nice.

Pin holes suppose to be the sign of potassium deficiency, but I doze potassium every week with 40% water changes. I add ~50 ppm to the fresh water, so after PWC potassium should be at least 20 ppm or higher...

My other slower growing plants don't have the same problem.

I doze Fluorish and fluorish iron weekly with PWC, and fluorish root tabs monthly. Nitrates and phosphates should not be a problem. I have to do 40% PWC weekly just to keep nitrates under 20 ppm.

 

[fort384]

Are you dosing any KNO3 or N of any kind? What is your N03 testing at?

The other thing to look at is lighting. Depending on the depth of the tank, and how thick the other leaves are... the leaves towards the bottom won't get as much light (especially if they are planted close together).

 

[Bigzmey]

Are you dosing any KNO3 or N of any kind? What is your N03 testing at?

The other thing to look at is lighting. Depending on the depth of the tank, and how thick the other leaves are... the leaves towards the bottom won't get as much light (especially if they are planted close together).

20 ppm NO3. NO3 comes from fish.

 

[fort384]

ok, obviously not N related. What kind of light do you have? Are the plants packed in tightly at all? I know I had issues with the bottom leaves of my Mayaca when I had it all too close together... even under very high light.

 

[Bigzmey]

twin 36" 25w (50w total) fluorescent lights 6500K and 8000K on 30 gal tank. The plants are moderately packed. Some of the leaves that affected get full unobstructed light.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[fort384]

hmmm. Ok, so I don't think it is light. My next guess would be trace. How old is the tank? How old are the plants?

 

[Bigzmey]

I do fluorish weekly and fluorish root tabs monthly. The tank and gravel are ~5 months old and the plants ~4 months.

 

[fort384]

ok... is it the flourish comprehensive or flourish trace?

Are they reflected T5HO lights?

 

[Bigzmey]

flourish comprehensive. Also my water is hard, comes from tap with GH ~ 400 ppm, I dilute with RO water 1:1 to ~200 ppm. So some of traces should be already in the water. The lights are regular T8 fluorescent strip with a polished metal reflector.

 

[fort384]

Ok. Had t5ho in my mind. I still think it's enough light though.

Do you have a phosphate test kit?

 

[Bigzmey]

No, but they say that fish and fish food should provide plenty of phosphate.

 

[fort384]

They do do they?

Lol

I agree for the most part. Tanks can become p limited however. I dose p in my tanks. Trying to narrow down the possibilities. We know N and K are covered. Trace should be covered. P is "probably" ok. Light seems sufficient. How about C? CO2 or seachem excel?

 

[Crepe]

Do...you have snails in the tank?

 

[fort384]

Do...you have snails in the tank?

Occam's razor... Good thinking.

 

[Bigzmey]

I follow you. I will get phosphate kit just in case.

No Co2 or excel. I was wondering about CO2 as possible cause. Should not stunt, small leaves and slow growth be symptoms of C deficiency?

They do do they?

Lol

I agree for the most part. Tanks can become p limited however. I dose p in my tanks. Trying to narrow down the possibilities. We know N and K are covered. Trace should be covered. P is "probably" ok. Light seems sufficient. How about C? CO2 or seachem excel?

 

[fort384]

Agreed for the most part on common presentation of various nutrient deficiencies. However I have also found that they can present themselves in ways that are similar and less common... Especially for macro nutrients. I doubt co2 is the magical cure here, but excel may be worth a shot. It is good stuff.

How about the snails?

 

[Bigzmey]

Do...you have snails in the tank?

Yes, but I swear they are innocent

Actually, I blame plant farmers. They so overfeed and pumper the plants, so it hard to keep them in a normal fish tank.

30 years ago when I kept fish as a kid I would get plants at the local farmer market from fellow fish tank keepers. Those plants grew like weeds without fertilizers, fancy lights and filters. I had no clue about nitrates or GH, but I kept fish and nice bushy plants for years.

Now with Ph. D. in biology and all advances in aquarium keeping I have hard time reproducing what I used to take for-granted.

 

[Bigzmey]

Agreed for the most part on common presentation of various nutrient deficiencies. However I have also found that they can present themselves in ways that are similar and less common... Especially for macro nutrients. I doubt co2 is the magical cure here, but excel may be worth a shot. It is good stuff.

How about the snails?

Thanks for the advice. I would not risk my crab with excel.

 

[fort384]

Fwiw I have used it in tanks with shrimp with no ill effects.

Not sure where to go next ...

 

[Bigzmey]

Fwiw I have used it in tanks with shrimp with no ill effects.

Not sure where to go next ...

Thanks for the input, very appreciated! I will give it more time and see what will happen.